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Motor legal expenses insurance

What can it help you with?

If you’re involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, motor legal insurance could help you with the losses that aren’t covered by your motor insurance policy. For instance, motor legal expenses insurance could:

Provide legal representation to help you and any passengers who have been injured;

Provide a replacement vehicle whilst yours is being repaired;

Recover lost earnings as a result of your vehicle being damaged;

Recover a policy excesses if you have a comprehensive motor insurance policy;

Recover repair costs if you don’t have a comprehensive motor insurance policy.

Cover for legal costs

Motor legal expenses insurance could pay up to €130,000 per claim to cover your legal costs and expenses, and the other person’s legal costs if you lose.

Telephone legal advice

Motor legal expenses insurance can also come with access to a telephone legal advice, and a counselling helpline.

Motor legal expenses insurance explained

What wouldn't be covered?

As with all insurance policies there are important terms and conditions you will need to be aware of. Motor legal expenses insurance tends not to cover:

Issues that started before you bought the policy;

Legal costs paid out before your claim gets accepted;

Claims which lack reasonable chances of success; or

Anything specifically excluded from the policy.

Where can you buy it?

Most policies are available as an additional product when you buy a motor insurance policy through an insurance provider. Check what cover you already have in place before adding motor legal expenses insurance to a new policy though; you may already have it.

If you’d like more information about motor legal expenses insurance have a look at our FAQs below or speak to your insurance adviser, or get in touch.

Motor FAQs

Motor legal expenses insurance could help with the recovery of other losses that are not covered by your main motor policy

Motor Legal Expenses Insurance is typically sold alongside a motor insurance policy. It can be bought for most types of vehicles, including cars, vans and motorbikes. Your insurance company or broker will usually discuss Motor Legal Expenses Insurance with you when you take out or renew a motor insurance policy. If you take out LEI with your motor insurance policy, you will usually pay for both in the same way.

How could motor legal expenses insurance help me if I am injured in an accident that isn’t my fault?

Being injured in a car accident could potentially have a lifelong impact on you. Regardless of the extent of your injuries, motor legal expenses insurance could mean that your case will be managed by an experienced personal injury lawyer.

How could motor legal expenses insurance help me if I have an accident that isn’t my fault?

Having a car accident is bad enough, but it can impact more than just your car. Items in the car like your phone or tablet could be damaged, or if you can’t use your car for a few days you might not be able to get to work, losing you income. None of these things are likely to be covered by your car insurance.

Motor legal insurance will help you work out the full value of loses you have suffered and claim them back from the person who caused the accident.

In most cases motor insurance policies don’t guarantee a replacement vehicle if your car is damaged. Many motor legal expenses insurance policies will help you either by providing you with a replacement vehicle or reclaiming costs (within certain limits) of you hiring a replacement vehicle where you are entitled to. Your legal expenses provider should be able to explain what you are entitled to, or you can find out by reading your policy documents.

Does motor legal expenses insurance only help when I’m involved in an accident that isn’t my fault?

It all depends on the policy you have. The main benefit of motor legal expenses insurance is to help you recover costs and get compensation if you are involved in a motor accident that isn’t your fault. However, policies are increasingly expanding their benefits to include legal help in defending you against certain motor prosecutions, like dangerous driving, or helping you with a motor-related contract dispute, like buying a second-hand car that turns out to be less reliable than the salesman implied. Some policies will also include legal helplines.

What can I call the legal helpline about?

Our legal helpline can give you confidential legal advice on personal legal issues; you are not limited to questions about motor legal issues.

How often can I call the legal advice helpline?

As often as you need; there are no limits on how many times you can call.

Can I claim for a problem that started before I bought the policy?

You can’t usually claim for legal disputes that started before the date your cover began.

Can I claim for legal costs I’ve incurred before making a claim?

No; if you have a DAS policy it’s important that you speak to us as soon as possible after a dispute arises so we can discuss the best way to proceed. We will not cover any costs you incur before we have agreed to cover your claim, such as the cost of consulting your own lawyer.

Can I choose my own lawyer?

For a claim under a DAS policy we’ll usually appoint a lawyer from one of our preferred law firms on the basis of their expertise to deal with your claim. However, there are instances where you have the right to choose your own lawyer – such as if court proceedings are issued or there’s a conflict of interest. It’s important to know that if you do choose your own lawyer we will only pay them the same amount as we would pay our preferred lawyers – currently £100 per hour.